Many differences can be seen between the photos in the Los Angeles Times and the Nepali Times. These differences can be due to factors such as different journalistic styles and cultural norms. In the first pair of photos, both of which were published on the web in September of 2009, the L.A. Times published a photograph of a man being arrested with a white sheet over what was presumably a body in the background to help depict a story about people dying in the war against drugs at the border of Mexico. It is common journalistic practice in the States to not publish photos of dead or mutilated bodies no matter the horrific circumstances. However, the Nepali Times take a more realistic, honest and shocking approach as they published a photo depicting the death toll of a 10-year long insurgency that showed the carnage of three children and one woman that had died. This difference in journalistic philosophy brings up the question of what is too much and what is healthy for the public to see. While it is true that people die every day, I do not feel that it is appropriate for a newspaper shot that can be seen by people of all ages. I also feel that showing a body can infringe on the victim’s privacy, since it is not common public knowledge about that person as stated in chapter four of Cohen.

The second pair of photos focused on the depiction of government and leadership. The L.A. Times consistently depicted the men of the armed forces as heroes and with honor while the Nepali Times’ photos typically showed a constant oppressive presence of the military or showed military action toward those who are excising their right to protest or demonstrate. The L.A. Times typically had closer and more personal shots of leadership with them smiling while the Nepali Times’ photos were distant, cold and impersonal (as seen in photo 1 of President Ram Baran Yadav administers during the oath of office swearing-in ceremony, taken by Min Ratna Bajracharya). The close personal photos of the L.A. Times and the distant cold photos of the Nepali Times both carry the power of persuasion and have the power to set the public agenda as talked about by Green in chapter five. Since the media is the way much of the public gains their knowledge about the government leader and what is going on the government. There should, however, be a balance between personal and factual.

The third pair of photos both showed fires but depicted them in very different ways. The Nepali Times had a close centered zoom on the fire while the L.A. Times used the photography rule of thirds and added a human element by using a firefighter in the shot as well. The picture in the Nepali Times conveyed disaster while the picture in the L.A. Times conveyed the suffering and honor of the firefighter while evoking sympathy for the public service. Same subject, different messages.